Envelope sealer



June: 28,1927.

D. c. DAVIS ENVELOPE SEALER Filed Feb. 16, 1925 IN VEN TOR. 2 1* cans,

a 4mg Miami 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 28, 1927.

STA

DWIGHT G. DAVIS, 0F MONTEREY PARK, CALIFORNIA.

Application filed February ENVELOPE SEALER.

This invention particularly pertains to envelope sealers of the type in which an envelope flap is moistened. operation and especially ments in envelope sealers of the character forth in my co-pending and sealed in one relates to improveset application for Lettcrs Patent filed September 10, 1924, Serial An object of the invention is to provide a means in a device of the alcove character for moistening the envelope flap which is so constructed and operated as to insure against excess moistening of the Another object of the flap.

invention is to provide an envelope sealing mechanism including a moistenmg pa'd adapted to applymoisturc to the gummed strip on an envelope flap on passing the flap thereover in contact therewith, and embodying means whereby a liqaid for moistening the pad will be automatically fed thereto in a predetermined and regulated quantity so as to avoid excessive moisture in the pad, and which liquid feeding means may be actuated solely by movement of the envelope being sealed so that liquid may be fed to the pad only during operation of the device but which may be operated manually to effect initial moistening of the pad,

A further ob ect is to sealing machine whlch provide an envelope is efficient and dependable in operation, and which is so constructed that the p arts sembled.

may be readily as- The mode of carrying out the foregoing Ob ccts, as well as such Ob ects, features and advantages of the invention as may subsequently appear, 1s hereinafter described and is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which the several views depict constructions and arrangement of elements and parts whereby the invention may be carried into effect.

Referring to the drawings the several views are as follows Figure 1 is a perspective view of the envelope sealer;

Figure 2 is a detail in section and elevation as seen on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a detail in section as seen on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4C is a View in transverse section,

parts being shown in elevation,

line 47-4 of Figure 1;

Flgure 5 IS a horizon as seen on the tal section and plan 16, 1925. Serial m. 9,409.

viewas seen onthe line 55 of Figure 4: illustrating the moistening pad and the manner of mounting same; I

' Figure 6' is a perspective View of the moistening pad as seen in longitudinal section.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, 8 indicates a base plate, here shown as formed of sheet metal, and which plate is formed with a downturned marginal flange 9 on one longitudinal edge thereof and has an upwardly extending flange 10 on the edge thereof opposite the flange 9. The base plate 8 is adapted to seat on the upper surface of a desk, table, bench or the like, and may be securely held in place thereon by means of a clamp 11 adapted to be engaged with the underside of the panel on which the base plate 8 is supported, as is common in devices of this character. The upper surface of the base plate 8 is flat and smooth so that an envelope 12 placed on the plate may be readily moved in a flat position longitudinally thereof and the flange 10 is formed with a flat inner face Which extends at right angles to the top face of the base plate 8'at its juncture with the latter so as to form guide for facilitating proper positioning of the envelopeon the base plate and in directing its movement longitudinally thereof. Supported on the flange 10 and projecting horizontally'over the upper face of the base. plate 8 and spaced therefrom is a housing 13 comprising side walls 14 and 15, abottom wall 16 and an outer end wa'll'17. The housing is open at its top and is adapted to receive a liquid reservoir 18 on which is fixed atop panel 19 adapted to seat on the upper margin of the housing 13 to support the reservoir 18 in the latter; the flange 20 being adapted to be detachably engaged with the housing 13 to hold it against displacement, yet permit removal and replacement of the reservoirQ As a means for detachably engaging the flange 20 to the housing the side walls 14: and'15 of the latter are formed with indents 21 ad jacent their uper' edges and short studs22 are formed on the inner faces of downwardly projecting portions of the flange 20 adapted to be engaged with the indents 21; the side walls 14 and 15 of the housing being adapted to be sprung inwardly to effect engagement or disengagement of thestuds 22'by the indents 21.

having a marginal flange 20 The panel 19 is formed with rectangular opening 23 the opposite end margins of which are formed with open-ended recesses 24 forming bearings adapted to receive trunnions 25 formed. on the ends of a roller 26 axially thereof; the roller 26 being adapted to be positioned to extend through the opening 23 and to have the lower portion of its periphery submerged in the liquid within the reservoir. This roller 26 serves as a means for moistening the gummed surfaces of postage stamps, adhesive tape and the like.

Formed 011 the lower edge of the end wall 17 of the housing 13 and projecting beneath the bottom wall 16 of the latter is a ledge 27 having upwardly and inwardly extending 'guide flanges 28 on its opposite edges and formed in the end wall 17 immediately above the ledge 27 is an aperture 29, through which may be inserted a removable tray 30 carrying a moistening pad 31; the tray being-adapted to be supported on the ledge 27 with its side edges slidably engaging the guide flanges 28. The ledge 27 is inclined downwardly from the lower edge of the end wall 17 so that when thetray 30 is seated thereon the tray will be disposed in a downwardly inclined position, as shown in Figure 4. The tray 30 is formed of sheet metal and has a marginal flange 32 extending along its sides and across one end of the tray which flange engages the side edges and one end of the pad 31 to hold the latter in place. This pad is formed with any suitable moisture absorptive material, such as felt. The bottom of the tray 30 is forn'ied with a recess 33 adjacent the outer end thereof from which leads a pair of channels 34 extending longitudinally of the tray and connecting with each other adjacent the ends of the tray; the channels 34 serving as ducts to convey liquid longitudinally of the tray beneath the pad 31 from the recess 33 as will be later described. It is to be noted that the pad 31 while extending over the channels 34 terminates adjacent the recess 33, so as to expose the latter, as particularly shown in Figure 5.

The outer end of the tray 30 is formed with an upwardly extending flange 35 which is adapted to abut against the outer face of' the wall 17 and act as a stop to determine the position of the tray on inserting the latter through the aperture 29, and also serve as a handle whereby the tray may be readily grasped in effecting its removal. The tray is of such length that when it is disposed in position beneath the frame 13 and supported on the ledge 27 with the flange 35 abutting against the wall 17, the inner lower end of the tray will be positioned snugly against the base plate 8 and will terminate adjacent the flange 10, as shown in Figure 4. then the tray is thus positioned the inner end thereof will be disposed so that on sliding an envelope longitudinally of the plate 8 beneath the frame 13 with the flap thereof uppermost and overlapping the envelope the tray will be causedto pass between the envelope and flap in such a manner that the gumined underside of the flap will pass over the pad in contact therewith. The inner end portion of the tray is tapered and the margin thereof is beveled so that it will readily enter between the envelope and flap.

The ledge 27 is of such flexibility or the guide flanges 28 are of such character as to permit the slight vertical movement of the tra 30 necessar i to )ermit the assa 'e of o an envelope between the tray and the base plate.

Formed in the bottom wall of the reservoir 18 is a liquid discharge orifice which is located so as to deliver liquid from the reservoir downwardly into the recess 33 on the tray 30 when the latter is disposed in its operating position as shown in Figure 4; the bottom wall 16 of the housing 13 being formed with an aperture 37 through which the liquid may pass. The orifice 36 is normally closed by a tapered valve 38 formed on a vertically reciprocal stem 39 slidably mounted and guided in a cage 40 projecting inwardly from the bottom of the reservoir. 1%. spiral spring 41 wound on the stem 39 bears between a shoulder 42 on the stem and the underside of the reservoir top 19 and acts to normally maintain the valve in its seated position on the margin of the orifice 36 to close the latter and also serves to yieldably oppose opening of the valve. The stem 39 extends upwardly through an apcrturc 43 in the reservoir top 19- and is pivotally connected at to an operating lever 45. one end of which lever seats on and is movably connected to the reservoir top 19 by means of a tongue 46 on the lever GX-- tending into an aperture in the reservoir top. The other end of the lever pro-- jects downwardly at an incline and terminates in a curved lower end portion 47 which normally extends alongside the outer face of the flange 9 on a plane below the top surface of the base plate 8, as particularly shown in Figure 2; the lever 45 being normally maintained in this position by the action of the spring 41 which operates to exert a downward pull on the lever 45. Downward movement of the lever 45 is limited by means of a projection 48 on the latter adapted to abut against the reservoir top 19.

Mounted in the side wall 14 of the housing 13 and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom is a spring presser-plate 49 the outer portion of which yieldably bears on the upper surface of the base plate 8 under tension.

In the operation of the invention; a quaninn tity of liquid is placed in the reservoir 18 in such amount as to submerge the lower portion of the roller 26; the roller being re moved so that the liquid may be poured into the reservoir through the opening 23. On disposing the tray 30 in its operative position beneath the housing 13 liquid from the reservoir is delivered to the pad 31 to saturate the latter, by lifting the outer end of the lever 45 so as to raise the valve 38 and thereby open the orifice 36 so that a charge of the liquid will be delivered to the recess 33 in the tray 30 from whence the liquid will flow along the channels 34: in the inclined bottom of the tray and be thereby fed to the end portion of the absorptive pad 31; the pad 31 absorbing the liquid thus delivered thereto by capillary attraction so that the pad will be moistened throughout from end to end. Initial moistening of the pad may be effected by manually manipulating the lever 45 or it may be initially saturated by removing the tray 30 and applying'liquid to the pad.

In effecting sealing of an envelope the latter is placed on the base plate 8 with the flapped end thereof abutting against the flange 10 and with the flap disposed uppermost as shown in Figure 1, whereupon the envelope is advanced laterally beneath the housing 18 so as to cause the flap to ride over the tray 30 with the gummed surface of the flap contacting the saturated pad and thereby moistening the Continued movement of the envelope will cause it to pass beneath the presser plate 49 which will operate to press the moistened flap onto the envelop-e and thereby elfect sealing thereof.

In moving the envelope under the presser plate 49 it will be caused to engage the lower curved end of the lever 45 so as to rock the latter upwardly into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, and thereby cause the valve to open the orifice 36 and thus permit the discharge of a small quantity of liquid from the reservoir into the tray; the valve automatically closing under the action of the spring i5 when the enve- P been moved clear of the lever. It will now be seen that in thus sealing an envelope each operation will efiect an automatic delivery of a small quantity of liquid to the pad to replace that delivered from the pad to the envelope flap thus insuring against excessive saturation of the pad and that by providing the normally closed valve 38 no delivery of liquid to the pad will occur other than on opening of the valve as by operating the lever 35.

The reservoir being demountably attached to the housing, and the valve and the valve control parts being carried by the reservoir, the latter may be readily removed and replaced, as occaslon may require.

lope has gummed surface.

I claim q 1. In an envelope sealing device, a liquid reservoir, a tray extending beneath said reservoir, an absorptive pad carried by said tray, a valve controlled means for feeding liquid drop by drop from said reservoir to said tray, and means whereby the liquid fed to the tray will be delivered to the underside of said pad and whereby the pad will become saturated by capillary attraction.

2. In an envelope sealing device of the character described, a tray having a recess adjacent one end thereof and formed with a longitudinally extending channel leading from said recess, an absorptive pad carried by said tray extending over said channel, said tray being supported in an inclined position with the recessed end portion thereof uppermost, and means for delivering a predetermined quantity of liquid to the absorbent pad.

3. In an envelope sealing device of the character described, a reservoir having a discharge orifice, a tray having a bottom recess and formed with a longitudinal channel leading from said recess, an absorptive pad carried by said tray extending over sald said channel, means for supporting said tray at an inclined position with the recessed end portion thereof uppermost and arranged beneaththe discharge orifice of the reservoir, and a valve normally closing said discharge orifice operably to open the orifice to effectdelivery of fluid drop by drop from the reservoir to the recess in said tray.

4:. An envelope sealing device of the character described, comprising a base plate having an upwardly projecting side flange, a housing carried by said flange and projecting above the upper surface of the base plate in spaced relation thereto, an inclined tray arranged beneath said housing, an absorptive pad carried by said tray, a reservoir carried by said housing having a discharge orifice through which liquid may be delivered to the upper portion of said tray, a valve normally closing said orifice, and a lever for opening said valve having an end ortion normally projecting below the plane of the upper surface of said base plate adapted 011 being lifted to open said valve. 5. In an envelope sealing device of the character described, a plate having a flat upper face on which an envelope may be sup ported and shifted longitudinally of the plate, an inclined tray extending over said plate yieldably supported at its upper end, an absorptive pad carried on said tray and facing upwardly. said tray and pad being adapted on advancing an envelope over said plate to pass between the envelope body and an overlapping flap thereon, and means operable by the advancing envelope for feeding a liquid to said tray.

DWIGHT c. DAVIS. 

